The present invention relates generally to relocating materials and more particularly, to methods and systems for relocating materials while maintaining the materials in shelf list order.
Maintenance of materials in shelf list order within a collection is common practice to enable relatively efficient retrieval of such materials. A well known example involves books in a library. The books are typically maintained on shelves in a predetermined order according to unique call numbers attached to each book. Typically, books are placed in shelf list order by organizing the books according to call number from left to right across each shelf starting from the top shelf and proceeding down to the bottom shelf.
When such materials need to be relocated, the materials are typically manually moved and then shelved in the new location in shelf list order. If the materials are removed from the shelves without regard to shelf list order, arranging the materials in shelf list order in the new location is a significant and time consuming task. Even where efforts are made to maintain shelf list order of the materials during the relocation process, significant time is required to reassemble the collection in shelf list order. This is especially the case where the collection of materials is large enough to require splitting up the collection to complete the relocation.
During the relocation process, the materials are typically stored in uniquely marked boxes. When multiple boxes are independently relocated, finding and identifying the boxes as well as overcoming errors/confusion in the marking of the boxes may also be a time consuming and complex task. In addition, where the materials are large and/or heavy, such as, for example with books, maintaining shelf list order may be further complicated by the need to vary the amounts of materials in any one box. Further, materials within the boxes may be bent or damaged due to shifting of the materials and collision of the boxes with each other and with other objects during the relocation process.
Aside from the difficulties in maintaining shelf list order, the relocation of materials also requires significant manpower, physical strength and large amounts of time. Individually loading boxes with materials, moving the boxes from one location to another and unloading the boxes is an extremely time-consuming and manpower intensive task. In addition, repetitive stress injuries and other injuries related to lifting and bending may occur. Even where carts, dollies or some other wheeled devices are used to move the boxes of materials, significant amounts of lifting and bending occur. This is especially the case where materials are stored in areas that are not directly accessible with such carts or dollies and therefore boxes must be physically carried to an accessible location.
The invention provides economic and efficient methods and systems for relocating materials in shelf list order. The methods and systems allow materials in any size collection to be relocated while maintaining the materials in shelf list order. With the methods and systems, significantly more materials may be moved with significantly less manpower in a significantly shorter period of time than with previously available systems and techniques. In addition, the systems and methods provide ergonomic benefits by reducing the amount of lifting, bending, reaching, pulling and pushing during the relocation process.
The system of relocating materials in shelf list order may include a plurality of book caddies, at least one conveyor section and at least one cart. The book caddies may be in the form of a triangular shaped tray formed to receive a plurality of materials. The conveyor sections may be detachably coupled in an end-to-end configuration to form a conveyor. The conveyor may be positioned to extend the length of one or more shelves containing a collection of materials that are to be relocated. In addition, the conveyor may extend beyond one end of the shelves to a predetermined location. The cart(s) may be positioned near the predetermined location.
During operation, each of the book caddies may be placed on the conveyor and sequentially filled with materials from the collection. The book caddies may be filled with materials in shelf list order to form each of a plurality of sub-collections. The book caddies with the materials stored therein may be conveyed sequentially along the conveyor to maintain the materials in shelf list order. Upon reaching the predetermined location, the book caddies may be sequentially transferred to a cart to form a group. The materials in the group are maintained in shelf list order on the cart. Each cart containing a group of book caddies may be uniquely identified and relocated to a new location.
At the new location, the conveyor sections may again be detachably coupled to form a conveyor extend the length of a plurality of shelves and beyond one end. The carts containing the groups of book caddies may be positioned near the conveyor extending beyond the end of the shelves. One of the uniquely identified carts may be positioned next to the conveyor. The group of book caddies on the cart may be sequentially removed from the group and placed on the conveyor to maintain shelf list order of the materials. The book caddies may be sequentially conveyed along the conveyor to a selected location among the shelves. At the selected location, the book caddies may be sequentially removed from the conveyor and placed adjacently on the shelves to recreate the collection in shelf list order. The materials within each of the book caddies may be slid out of a respective book caddie onto a respective shelf thereby recreating the collection in shelf list order on the shelves in the new location.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.